Surtax registering and totalizing counter for telephony systems



May 27, 1952 AssE 2,598,244

SURTAX REGISTERING AND TOTALIZING COUNTER FOR TELEPHONY SYSTEMS FlledFeb 1, 1950 m A 29%)")? Ky Patented May 27, 1952 SURTAX REGISTERING ANDTOTALIZING COUNTER FOR TELEPHONY SYSTEMS Rolf 'Fasser, Geneva,Switzerland, assignor to Sodeco Societe -des Compteurs de 'Geneve,Geneva, Switzerland, a firm of Switzerland Application February 1, 1950,.Serial No. 141,644 In Switzerland February 2,1949

Claims.

In most countries, the telephonic fee for the subscriber includes, inaddition to the official fee, a so-called surtax.

The ofiicial telephonic fee 'is usually determined according to theduration of the call as well as to the taxation-area in which said callwas established; it is then carried over the charge indicating device bymeans of a number of tax-impulses corresponding to the amount of thetelephonic fee.

The surtax paid per telephonic call is usually graded with respect tothe taxation-zone in which the call was brought about. In Switzerland,for instance, for the urban .andsuburban traflic, this surtax amount to-1D centimes, "for trunk connections to'20 .centimes. Urban call ischaracterised by one tax-impulse, suburban call by two impulses andtrunk call by at least three impulses.

By such graded surtaxes, for the total sum of the single surtaxes to betaken duringa certain period, there is obviously neither a directrelation to the sum of the impulses registered in that duration nor inrespect of the number of telephone-calls achieved during the sameperiod. Thus the subscriber of a telephone-station is not able to checkthe surtaxes 'taken by his staif during a given period.

In order to overcome this drawback of the lacking check, the followingdescribed charge indicating device for a telephonic plant including aplurality of graded surtaxes, is provided, according to .the' presentinvention with surtaxindicating means and a surtax-totalizing counter.The number of the counted tax'impulses for the calling-fee is used fordetermining the surtax to be taken, whereby the rotation angle of thefirst digits drum of the charges-totalizing counter during the beginningimpulses of each call, the number of which determines the surtax to bepaid, is directly or by intercalation of one or several carrying wheels,conveyed by means of a leading stud onto an indicating flap rotatablymounted on a fixed axis, and onto a selecting sector; said indicatingflap directly showingthe ,surtax and said selecting sector bemgadaptedto count the number of unities to be added in the surtaxes totalisingcounter.

With reference to the-appended drawing, the single figure represents anembodiment of the invention. The members which do not belong to thesurtax device are'not shown to facilitate the understanding of theirworking.

The tam-impulses come into the winding 5 of the step-by-step controllingmechanism 2,

direction of the arrow 26.

which by means of ratchet 3, drives the ratchetwheel 4 in thedirectionof arrow -5. The-ratchetwheel 4 is connected to the sun wheel ofthecycloidal gear system .over the spindle 6. The cycloidal gear system(differential) and its nadjoining reverse and locking wheels are diagrammatically shown. One sun gear of the differential mechanism is used todrive forwardly over the gear 8 the digits drum 9, in'th'e'direction ofthe arrow ID a given quantity 'perimpulse. The other sun gear ofthe'difierential: is connected to the first digits drum ll of the chargetotalizing counter [2. During conversationpi. e. on receiving thetax-impulses, said second sun gear and thus the whole charge totalizingcounter 12 is locked.

The digits drum 9 is subjected to the action of a spring 13. whichoperates against the direction of the arrow'lfl. Said spring islthuswound up by the action of the impulses. The zeroposition of digits drum"9 is located by the stud l4 co-operating with thrust "I 5.

The thrustor'bolt l6 alsomoves :in unison with drum 9 in the directionof arrow T0. The surtax-indicating'flap .20 is stopped in the zeroposition by means of the arm I! and bolt i6. Besides, an arm 3-! islocked throughthepawl'tfl, which is rotatably mounted on the spindle16]. At the first impulse, .the armature .52 of thestepby-stepcontrollin mechanism ".2 acts on :the pawl in sucha way thatarme'l.becomes free. The arm I"! is then able to follow-the, movement of boltl6 against which it is pressed by spring [8.

Thereby, the spindle l9 and, innnison with it, the .surtax-indicatingflap .20 revolves in the This flap is then moved, for instance, up to 10vcentimes, for one impulse (urban call), also up to 10 centimesfor twoimpulses (suburban call) and to .ZOcentimes for three and more impulses(trunk connections).

The thrust 2| prevents the .surtax-indicating flap 2.0 from beingfurthercarried along after the third impulse, so that on each further impulse,the spindle IQ remains still and bolt .16 moves'away from arm IT.

The driving of this surtax-indicating device is characterisedby thefeature that it does not moreover loadthe controlling magnetl; but onthe contrary, it facilitates the action thereof during the three'first'impulses, whereby spring I8 acts upon the digits drum 9, againstthe spring l3, over the arm IT.

The return to 'zero-and'the totalizing oi, the surtax is achievedthroughthe releasing-pushbutton 22 in co-operation with a snap device. Byactuation of the releasing push-button 22 in the direction of arrow 35,the lever 23 is displaced whereby the springs 24 and 28 are tensioned,because the reciprocating lever 25 is temporarily held back through thelatching lever 22. The reciprocable control lever 29 also remainsmotionless for its lug 39 is pressed against the nose 3|.

On pushing the releasing button 22 until the edge 32 runs against thebars 33, the latching lever 21 is rotated about the axis 94 and thusreleases the lever 25. This latter is then pushed in the direction ofthe arrow 35 through the previously compressed spring 24 and the lateralextension 36 thereof brings the arm 37 back again, whereby thesurtax-indicating flap 29 is returned to zero. In that position, the arm3'! is locked through pawl 90, so that the spindle i9 is stopped andcannot hinder the return to zero of the digits drum 9, by the arm 11.

Owing to the movement of the lever 25 in the direction of the arrow 35,the lug 30 is also released, whereby the lever 29 is shifted in the samedirection and its end 38 engages itself at once into a notch 44 or 49 ofthe selecting sector 39, before the same is moved and can return to zeroin unison with the spindle I9.

When the reciprocable lever 29 is shifted in the direction of the arrow35, its finger i9 is pressed against the stud 4i and thus rotates thelever 42 around the axis 43. If the end portion 38 has engaged itselfinto one of the notches M, then the ratchet 45 moves backwards one tooth(local and suburban traffic) but if said end portion 38 has engageditself into the notch 49 (trunk connections), then the ratchet 45 movesbackwards two teeth.

During its movement in the direction of the arrow 35, the lever 25, onacting over a locking gear of the differential mechanism 7 (not shown),releases the charge-totalizing counter I2, so that the spring 13 bringsthe digits drum 9 back to zero, in a direction opposite to the arrow l0,whereby the stud 14 runs against the thrust l5. The gearing ratios ofthe differential mechanism are selected in such a way that, on thereturning movement of the digits drum 9, the charge totalizing counterl2 forwardly revolves by the same amount. As soon as the stud I4 isstopped through said thrust l5, the charge totalizing counter i2 islocked again, through known means which are not described in the presentspecification, until next return to zero of the digits drum 9.

When the operator releases knob 22, reciprocating levers 23, 25 and 29are drawn back again through spring 41 and the latching lever 2'; lookslever 25 so that the snap device takes its starting position again.

By the backward motion of lever 29, the finger 40 thereof released thelever 42, which latter, being henceforth drawn through the spring (32,turns the ratchet wheel 49 one or two teeth forward in the direction ofarrow 59. Through this action, spindle #23 together with digits drum ofthe surtax-totalizing counter 52 are given a further rotary motion byone or two figures.

After end part 39, on its back movement, has moved away from thecorresponding notch l or 45, the selecting sector 39 is released, on itsturn,

and is returned back into the zero position against the pin 54, throughthe action of spring 53.

The abrupt movement of lever in the direction of arrow 95, afterdepression of the releasing knob 22, is required in order that alloperations, which are prepared or released through said lever 25, shouldbe almost simultaneously and automatically performed. It thus becomesimpossible by inadvertently handling the knob 22, to only partiallyreset the mechanism. Under these conditions, possible falsification suchas a double or more addings of the surtax into the totalizing counter,are left out.

The hereinbefore described apparatus is only a possible embodiment ofthe invention. By suitably forming the indicating flap 29, by adisplacement of thrust 2| as well as by a corresponding realization ofthe selecting sector 39, the amount of the surtax to be paid can bemodified at will.

What I claim is:

1.1n a telephonic fee indicating device for telephonic plants subject toa plurality of surtaxes, including a charges totalizing counter (l l-l2)provided with digit drums and adapted to be forwardly driven, step bystep, by a controlling mechanism provided with an electromagnetreceiving a number of current impulses corresponding to the variousareas of traffic (local, suburban or trunk connections), whereby thenumber of current impulses for each calling selectively determine theamount of the various surtaxes for said traffic areas, in combination: acharge indicating digit drum (9) connected to the controlling mechanismso as to be rotated by the same only in the direction of the increasingcharges, a spindle (29) carrying a surtaxindicating flap (29) and acoupling arm (ii), a stationary stop in the path of said flap, means forexerting an eccentric thrust on the charge indicating drum, saidcoupling arm being biased against the eccentric thrust in the samedirection of rotation as that imparted thereto through the action of thecontrolling mechanism, a driving member (54) and a reset arm (3?) onsaid spindle, a surtax selecting member (59) adapted to be positivelyrotated by said driving member (56) in one direction, a spring (53) forurging said selecting member in a reverse direction of rotation, saidselecting member having a plurality of stepped abutment surfaces 3l i9),each representing the amounts of the successive surtaxes to beregistered, a spring urged releasing knob (22), a snap acting mechanismadapted to be put in operation by said knob and comprising reciprocablemeans (2939), having motion limiting means cooperating with saidabutment surfaces, 2. surtax totalizing counter (52); unidirectionalvariable stroke actuating means for said totalizer (42, 45, 48, 69)inserted between the reciprocable means and the surtax totalizingcounter, said reciprocable means being adapted to cooperate with saidabutment surfaces by one of the strokes of said releasing knob and alsoto have the surtax amount added in the surtax totalizing counter, by theother strokes of said knob, said snap acting mechanism including aresetting member (35) adapted to drive said reset arm (3'?) forreturning the surtax indicating flap to zero by a snap releasedoperation.

2. A telephonic fee indicating device as defined in claim 1, said surtaxselecting member comprising a notched sector loosely mounted on saidspindle, said driving member being fixed to said spindle and said springconstantly urging said sector against the driving member on saidspindle. in order to reset the notched sector to zero, when thecooperation between the said reciprocable means (ZS-33) and the notchesof said sector has ceased.

3. In a telephone feed indicating device for telephonic plantssubjecttoaplurality of surtaxes, including a charges totalizing counter [lg-4 2provided with digit drums and adapted tohe forw ardly driven, step bystep, by a controlling 'mechanism provided with an electromagnetreceiving a number of current impulses corresponding to the variousareas of traffic -local, suburban or trunk connections), whereby thenumber of, current impulses foii'each calling selectively determinethe'amount of the various surtaxes for said trafiic areas, incombination: a charge indicating digit drum (9) having a winding springl3, a differential mechanism (l-8) having a locking gear thereinconnected to said charge indicating drum and to said charges totalizingcounter, so that the charge indicating digit drum can be driven by thedifferential mechanism only in the direction of the increasing chargesagainst the action of said winding spring, a spindle (l9) carrying asurtax-indicating flap and a coupling arm IT), a stationary stop in thepath of said flap, means for exerting an eccentric thrust on the chargeindicating drum, said coupling arm being biased, a Weight against theeccentric thrust in the same direction of rotation as that impartedthereto through the action of the differential mechanism, a reset arm(31) on said spindle, a backward spring urged releasing knob (22-47); areciprocable cam (32) adapted to be operated by said releasing knob, asnap releasing lever (27) having a part (33) normally located in thepath of said cam, a snap controlling spring (24) adapted to be tightenedby the depression of the releasing knob, a resetting device (25-36), apart of which is normally inserted between one edge of said releasinglever and said snap controlling spring, whereby a member (36) of saidresetting device is adapted to rotate said reset arm (31) together withsaid surtax indicating flap to the zero position by the action of saidsnap controlling spring (24), caused by the cam (32) raising said snapreleasing lever (2'1), said resetting device including means forremoving said locking gear to disconnect said charge indicating digitdrum from charge-totalizing counter, so that said winding spring (13)brings the charge indicating drum to zero.

4. In a telephonic fee indicating device of the class referred to,comprising a charge totalizing counter adapted to be driven step bystep, by an electromagnet controlling mechanism, according to a numberof current impulses corresponding to the difierent trafiic areas,whereby the number of current impulses for each calling selectivelydetermine the amount of the various surtaxes for said traflic areas, incombination: a charge indicating digit drum provided with a windingspring adapted toreturn said drum to zero, said charge indicating drumbeing adapted to be positively rotated from the charges totalizingcounter, a spindle carrying a first arm provided with a surtaxindicating flap, and a coupling arm, a set of all the figures used forthe various surtaxes on said flap, a stationary stop in the path of said6 3 sewe 99 5. 1? m gted 9n, i Win a d rmed, wit as main; Pe i. hazenotches, as he i fes n sa d urtax fi c t ne flap. he d pths f i no ch qqr ndins h (3 .19% 9 am q i t ts r er s adri ne m mber: n si S indl for si e y tati said surtax sector, in the direction of the increasingsurtaxes, a spring (53) adapted to urge the surtax sector in a reversedirection of rotation to reset the same to zero position; a spring urgedreleasing knob a snap acting mechanism operated by said knob andcomprising reciprocable control means, a surtax totalizing counter,unidirectional variable stroke actuating means for said totalizerinserted between said reciprocable control means and said surtaxtotalizing counter, said control means engaging with said notches by thedepression stroke of the releasing knob, and to have the surtax amountadded in said surtax totalizing counter through said unidirectionalvariable stroke actuating means in the back stroke of said knob, means(36) inserted between the snap-acting mechanism and the flap carryingspindle for returning the indicating flap to zero by a snap releasedoperation.

5. In a telephonic fee indicating device for telephonic plants subjectto a plurality of surtaxes, including a charges totalizing counter(ll-I2) provided with digit drums and adapted to be forwardly driven,step by step, by a controlling mechanism provided with an electromagnetreceiving a number of current impulses corresponding to the variousareas of traflic (local, suburban or trunk connections), whereby thenumber of current impulses for each calling selectively determine theamount of the various surtaxes for said traffic areas, in combination: acharge indicating digit drum connected to said controlling mechanism tobe rotated by the latter only in the direction of the increasingcharges, a spindle carrying a surtax indicating flap and a coupling arm,a set of figures on said flap corresponding to the whole succession ofthe surtaxes, a stationary stop in the path of said flap, spaced fromthe zero position thereof at an angle equal to the angle taken by theentire set of figures on said surtax indicating flap, means for stoppingsaid charges indicating drum in its zero position; means for exerting aneccentric thrust on the charge indicating drum, said coupling arm biasedagainst said eccentric thrust in the direction of rotation impartedthereto through the controlling mechanism, a driving member (54) and areset arm on said spindle, a surtax selecting sector adapted to bepositively rotated by said driving member in one direction, a spring forurging said surtax selecting sector in a reverse direction of rotation,said surtax selecting sector having a number of peripheral notches equalto the total number of surtaxes, the depths of said notchescorresponding to the various or same amounts of the surtaxes to beregistered, a spring urged slidable releasing knob, a snap actingmechanism disposed on the sliding path of said releasing knob andcomprising a resetting member (36) to drive said reset arm (3'!) by asnap released operation, a surtax totalizing counter (5|52) connected toa ratchet wheel (49), a pawl (45) and a control spring (48) adapted todrive said pawl and said ratchet wheel, reciprocable surtax transferringmeans comprising a strip (33) adapted to engage itself by snap actioninto a notch of said surtax selecting sector on the depression of saidreleasing knob, and a finger to withdraw said pawl with respect to saidratchet wheel M 2,598,244 7 8 a. distance corresponding to the depth ofthe UNITED STATES PATENTS notch actually reached by said strip, whereby,on Number Name Date the back stroke of said releasing knob, said con- 1094 054 Bricken 21 1914 trol spring (48) drives said ratchet wheel andDietrich et a1 Mar. 21, 1939 surtax totalizing counter so that thelatter regis- 5 2 240 797 Pasinski May 6 1941 ters the surtax selectedby said selecting sector.

ROLF FASSER. FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED491,281 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1938 The following references are ofrecord in the 10 134,131 swltzerland 1936 file of this patent:

